Regional EDGE
Supports Regional EDGE programmes for early-stage Scottish businesses across four regions via local delivery partners.
Regional EDGE is a Scottish Government-funded programme administered by Scottish EDGE that extends early-stage business support to underserved regions of Scotland outside the main Scottish EDGE national competition. The programme distributes a total of £400,000 per annual round across four regions: Tayside (delivered by Elevator and GrowBiz), North East (Opportunity North East), Highlands & Islands (Highlands and Islands Enterprise), and South of Scotland (South of Scotland Enterprise). Each region awards five prizes: one award of £50,000 structured as 70% loan and 30% grant, two grants of £15,000, and two grants of £10,000.
Eligibility requires that the business has been trading for fewer than five years, is headquartered within the applying region, has at least 50% of directors resident in Scotland, and demonstrates the potential to achieve £200,000 in cumulative sales over three years. Both for-profit businesses and social enterprises may apply; the programme is sector-agnostic. Unlike the main Scottish EDGE national competition, applications in Regional EDGE are assessed and pitched locally through the relevant regional delivery partner rather than through a centralised process.
The 2026 round pitching finals took place between 12 and 26 March 2026 across Inverness, Aberdeen, and Dundee; the application window for that round is now closed. The programme runs annually; the next round is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027, with details announced through regional delivery partners and the Scottish EDGE website at scottishedge.com.
Grant and loan awards of £10,000–£50,000 for early-stage businesses under five years old across four Scottish regions (Tayside, North East, Highlands & Islands, South of Scotland), funded by the Scottish Government.
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